Mario
Mario (マリオ) is a video game character and the star of the ''Mario'' series. He is Nintendo's most successful character; his games have sold over 200 million units worldwide. This, and other key factors, has led him to become the defining video game character and Nintendo's mascot. Designed by Shigeru Miyamoto for the arcade video game Donkey Kong, Mario was initially known as Jumpman, though Nintendo felt that, in order for him to become successful, his name would have to be changed to something more approachable and memorable. His appearance in Donkey Kong alone granted him instant recognition, and his appearance in the Nintendo Entertainment System game Super Mario Bros. fueled what was to become the most successful video game series of all time. Mario's games not only ensure an insurmountable level of quality, but they also guarantee to press the various genres his games are a part of forward, whether it be platformers, role-playing games or even racers. Donkey Kong gave way to the platforming genre, a plot and multiple levels, while Super Mario Bros. introduced over 40 million gamers to scrolling stages, various environments, and an incomparable physics engine. Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System gave Mario a steed to ride upon named Yoshi, graphical advancements that used the various powers of the console, and almost 100 level exits. Super Mario 64 is perhaps one of the biggest advancements in the series since the original game. Often called the most innovative title of all time, Super Mario 64 is one of the pioneering three dimensional video games and was the first with a camera that the player could control. Super Mario Sunshine for the Gamecube combined Mario's famous jumping abilities with the use of a powerful water gun mounted on Mario's back known as the FLUDD . Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii sent Mario soaring through space and incorporated a fantastic gravitational system. These examples are but a few reasons why Mario is so important to the industry. Mario isn't devoted exclusively to video games. He's appeared in a variety of television shows and merchandise, comic books and even a feature film. Despite these additional products, the franchise shines best when left to the realm of video games. Mario's attire consists of his signature red and blue clothes. His overalls are blue, while his undershirt and hat are red. On Mario's hat is a big red 'M'. His hat was originally added to his attire so that the developers wouldn't have to animate flowing hair on the NES, as doing so with such small sprites was not reasonable at the time. His overalls were included in order to show Mario's movements more fluidly, while his famed mustache is there because the developers at the time didn't want to draw something as small as a mouth. Ever since Mario's FUNdamentals, Mario has been voiced by Charles Martinet, who also does the voices of various other Mario characters such as Mario's brother Luigi, nemesis Wario, Waluigi, and others. External links * This article on Mario Wiki * This article on Paper Mario Wiki * This article on Mario Kart Racing Wiki